Man jailed for murder committed 30 years ago

The former lover of a casino heiress was jailed yesterday for her murder 30 years ago, despite the fact that no body has ever been found.

Jean-Maurice Agnelet, 69, a one-time playboy lawyer, stood impassively in court as he was found guilty of killing Agnès Le Roux, who was 29.

His motive was money: the equivalent today of almost £2million.

Renée Le Roux, 85, Agnès's mother, a former model and owner of the Palais de la Méditerraneé — once one of Nice's most prestigious casinos — broke down in tears at the verdict. Jean-Charles Le Roux, Agnès's brother, said: "For us this is not a victory, but at last we can put a name to the assassin."

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The jury at Aix-en-Provence criminal court chose to ignore Agnelet's argument that no details of where, when or how the crime was committed had ever been produced.

Instead they decided that a web of lies spun by Agnelet was sufficient proof of guilt. The judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

The case — a tale of passion, money and betrayal — has gripped the Riviera since Miss Le Roux first disappeared in her Land Rover in 1977.

Shortly before her disappearance, she had fallen out with her mother, who had refused to hand over any inheritance to her.

Renée had run the family-owned casino on the "promenade des Anglais" since her husband died in 1967, but had stubbornly refused to sell the business to Dominique Fratoni, the owner of a rival casino, Le Ruhl. Fratoni soon found a willing accomplice in his takeover plan — Agnès.

She had recently fallen for Agnelet, her mother's former lawyer and a serial womaniser with a taste for the high life.

It was he who convinced Agnès in June 1977 to betray her mother and vote against her at a board meeting, thus enabling the takeover.

In return, Fratoni paid Agnès three million francs, later transferred to a joint account and then to Agnelet's private account.

Shortly afterwards, Agnelet broke off his affair with Agnès and she twice tried to commit suicide before vanishing.

Although sentenced to two years in jail in 1985 for having seized Agnès's money, and later struck off the legal register, he was acquitted of murder because he had an alibi.

Another mistress, Francoise Lausseure — who became his wife — provided it, but later admitted she lied. The case was then reopened.

In January this year he was acquitted for "insufficient proof" but a re-trial was ordered. His lawyer last night said that he would appeal.